State songs may celebrate a state's natural beauty and resources, its history and progress, or the hard work of its citizens. Some are quite familiar: "You Are My Sunshine" ( Louisiana), "Home On The Range" ( Kansas), and "Yankee Doodle" ( Connecticut). Although others may be less familiar, forty-eight states have designated songs that express the unique character of the state. Among the states, only New Jersey and New York have never proclaimed state songs. On the other hand, Tennessee has five official songs and West Virginia has three. Furthermore, Georgia also has a state waltz; Kansas and North Dakota, a state march; Massachusetts, a state folk song; New Mexico, a Spanish language song; and Texas, a state flower song.
The poem "Alabama" was adopted as the state song of Alabama in 1931. The poem was written by Julia S. Tutwiler and gifted to the state. Edna Gockel Gussen put the poem to music.1 By the time the legislature officially adopted the song, it had already been in use for ten years as the state song. In 1917 the Alabama Federation of Music Clubs endorsed the song and gave it an award at its annual convention.2
"Alaska's Flag," composed by Elinor Dusenbury with words by Marie Drake , was adopted as the state song of Alaska in 1955.3 The poem entitled
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Questia, a part of Gale, Cengage Learning. www.questia.com
Publication information:
Book title: State Names, Seals, Flags, and Symbols:A Historical Guide.
Edition: Revised.
Contributors: Benjamin F. Shearer - Author, Jerrie Yehling Smith - Illustrator, Barbara S. Shearer - Author.
Publisher: Greenwood Press.
Place of publication: Westport, CT.
Publication year: 1994.
Page number: 197.
This material is protected by copyright and, with the exception of fair use, may not be further copied, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means.
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